You say you live by the woods and have Roaches? Well chances are it’s The Pennsylvania Wood Roach. They are a species of cockroach that can be found in our area, most commonly on the exterior of your home. They will occasionally enter your house when brought in with firewood. They’re massive (for insects), usually rounding out around 1” in size, dark brown or black in color and, unlike other species of roach, have the ability to fly for a short time. Be grateful if this is the type of roach that has meandered its way into your home, as they won’t try to take over the joint like their German cousins. Their online dating profile would state that they love long walks through wooded areas and their favorite foods are plants and animals that have recently decayed. What a charmer!

Gross, why do I have them? As mentioned before, they typically climb in or carried in with a pile of wood for a fireplace or another infested item. They’re also fans of cedar shake shingles, wooden siding, stumps and pretty much anywhere else that is: wet, made of wood and provides shelter. They love being around downspouts and gutters as well, due to the collected moisture. And as with any other creature of the forest, due to the boom in building housing plans in wooded areas, these things are slowly but surely becoming more of a common pest than they once were in Southwestern PA.

What can I do to help? The biggest thing to prevent any more from getting into the home is to make sure that any woodpiles on the exterior of your home are placed in dry storage or further away from the house or any possible entrances. Also, another thing to mention is that they’re attracted to lights at night, so if you’ve got a bright flood light on the exterior or guide lights near steps or doorways be sure to seal any possible gaps to the interior and simply monitor areas as you enter and exit your home at night.

Can we get rid of them now, please? Of course, we at Budget Pest Control, Inc. have the answer for your uninvited guests and Pennsylvania Wood Roach Control. We can apply a safe and effective treatment in the interior of the home when there is an issue, but due to their lifestyle, the best areas for preventative Pennsylvania Wood Roach Control are going to be on the exterior of your home in the previously mentioned areas that are densely wooded. This treatment not only will eliminate any insects that are already present, but will prevent you from having to run into one of these bad boys late at night.

Give us a call 24/7 Our friendly, knowledgeable office staff can answer any questions that might creep into your mind. We can give estimates right over the phone. There are no surprises when our trained service technicians’ friendly faces show up at your door, ready with the latest in equipment and products designed to take care of any roach problem. We service 7 days a week and can get to your house in a jiffy. Call today!

Pennsylvania wood roaches are typically ¾ of an inch to 1 inch long and are brown in color. Adult males have wings and can fly, while females have under developed non-functioning wings. Wood roaches rely primarily on a diet of decaying organic matter and rarely breed indoors. However, these roaches are routinely brought in from outside sources like firewood and lights that attract the insect.

Did You Know?

The Pennsylvania Wood Roach is one of the 3,500 cockroach species worldwide.

Although male Pennsylvania Wood Roaches can fly, they can’t sustain the flight and can only do it for a short distance before they have to land.

These Cockroaches live in moist areas such as under fallen trees or leaf piles.

Myths & Facts

Myth: Pennsylvania Wood Roaches are scatter when you turn on the light.
Fact: Unlike some of their cousins the Pennsylvania wood roach is not startled by movement and light actually can attract them to your home.

Myth: Pennsylvania Wood Roaches are only found in firewood and aren’t a huge threat to enter your home.Fact: While it’s true that Pennsylvania Wood Roaches live in firewood they can also be attracted to the lights of your home and enter through and cracks or crevices to get to these lights.

Signs of An Infestation

The presence of insects within your home is a good indicator that you have a Pennsylvania Wood Roach problem.

Firewood stored near or in a home is a risk factor for Pennsylvania Wood Roaches.